USE OF OXYGENATED OR POLYOXYGENATED INORGANIC WEAK ACIDS, OR DERIVATIVES, RESIDUES AND WASTE THEREOF, IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE RECOVERY OF COPPER AND/OR THE CONCENTRATION OF COPPER IN PROCESSES FOR THE LEACHING OR BIOLEACHING OF COPPER MINERALS

摘要

The invention concerns the use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate the same, or of solid and liquid wastes from plants producing oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds and their derivatives to increase copper recovery from mineral and/or to increase the copper concentration of the pregnant leach solution in the copper leaching process or the copper bioleaching process.;This invention also concerns a copper leaching procedure that comprises the addition of a necessary amount of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, or a compound or a mineral that generates the same to the leaching process, and the simultaneous addition of sulfuric acid to the leaching heap, where the necessary amount of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid will depend on the characteristics of the mineral.;This invention also describes a copper bioleaching procedure that comprises the addition of a necessary amount of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, or a compound or a mineral that generates the same into the bioleaching process, and the simultaneous addition of sulfuric acid to the bioleaching heap or dump site, where the necessary amount of acid added will depend on the characteristics of the mineral.